Tribute to a Dog

[spinninglimbs 0]

They deserve it.

 

"The one absolutely unselfish friend than man can have in this selfish world, the one that never deserts him, the one that never proves ungrateful or treacherous, is his dog. A man's dog stands by him in prosperity and in poverty, in health and in sickness. He will sleep on the cold ground, where the wintry winds blow and the snow drives fiercly, if only he may be near his master's side. He will kiss the hand that has no food to offer; he will lick the wounds and sores that come in encounter with the roughness of the world. He guards the sleep of his pauper master as if he were a prince. When all other friends desert, he remains. When riches take wing and reputation falls to pieces, he is as constant in his love as the sun in its journey through the heavens."

 

A man called George Vest apparently wrote this in 1870.

[Siren 0]

I don’t disagree. But it is nothing more enjoyable than a naughty cat.

 

A friend has a cat and at first (when just starting my Japanese lessons) I thought the cat's name was コラちゃん

[ShinyDiscoBall 2]

Reading that got me all emotional, remembering a dog we used to have when I was a kid. He was just the best creature ever (we thought, of course).

 

Also knew a dog that was really badly treated and a friend took it in. He was really wary of people at first - especially big fellas with no hair, probably ones who looked like the guy who mistreated him - and it took a while but he's been converted to a loving dog and gets friendlier every time I meet him (every 6 months or so).